Arlington firm 'marries' technologies to create products for clients

Arlington Heights-based Fusion92 may have started as a marketing and advertising firm, but its work with technology companies has rubbed off on it. Earlier this year, it formed a new division that mergers technology from other companies to create new products that can be used by their clients.

Fusion92 formed its Innovations Group to "marry" technology from different sources that would fit the needs of their clients, said company founder, President and CEO Matt Murphy.

"We formed the group to create our own think tank," he said.

One such product debuted at the 2012 Chicago Auto Show. That's where Fusion92 transformed a rear window of a Mazda CX-5 into a kiosk where 5,000 attendees were able to sign up to win the car. A film coating on the window made it operate like a touch screen on a tablet computer.

"We saw there was technology that could transform any piece of glass into a kiosk and we designed a display where people can interact with it," he said.

"We have the unique ability to combine technologies and integrate new things that will create something very new," Murphy said.

Besides the Mazda kiosk, Fusion92 is planning to debut another device for Robert Bosch Tools in Mount Prospect that acts as a computer monitor, where you can place a product inside and it will have a video or touch screen and provide a virtual reality environment. The digital presentation can then be used for displays in the company's lobby or at trade shows, Murphy said.

Murphy started the company when he was 23 years old in 1999. Clients have included AT&T, Georgia Tech, Omron, Siemens, Nalco, Sears, Cisco, Comcast, as well as H&R Block, Buddig and others.

Today, he has 36 workers on staff and plans to hire more by the end of the year. Besides the Arlington Heights headquarters and a downtown Chicago office, he's mulling the possibility of opening another office in Los Angeles.

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•Follow Anna Marie Kukec on LinkedIn and Facebook and as AMKukec on Twitter. Write to her at akukec@dailyherald.com.

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